THOMS SUNDAY TRAVEL SECTION.
In the 1950s, a French film director makes the movie Le Ballon Rouge, The Red Balloon.
Skip ahead to the late 1960s when an unsuspecting teacher shows the 35-minute film to her class. Somewhere, in the back of that classroom, a rouge-cheeked little boy stops misbehaving long enough to watch this tale.
In the end of the movie, all of the balloons in Paris take little Pascal on a magic ride over Paris.
Guess who that little boy watching is?
Along with Pascal, my imagination flies into the air. I want to fly by balloon. I want to see Paris. Well, I want to see all of France by balloon.
But that’s silly. How can you see France with a Ballon Rouge?
Up, Up and Away.
Did you ever want to fly? No, that’s not the correct term, drift across the sky at the wind’s whim? Not in a sealed tube at 30,000 feet, but just above the rooftops. With no sound except the breeze and the occasional whoosh of the burner.
What does it take to go aloft? This is good information to know in case a wizard ever offers you a ride. They are notorious for not knowing how to fly the darn contraptions and not stopping for directions.
Equipment
First, you start with a basket that carries the passengers. The basket must be durable yet lightweight. For this reason, they are often rattan. Some baskets only hold two people, while larger baskets can accommodate up to 20 people. Always check to see how full the pilot plans to fill the basket. You want a little wiggle room to move around.
The envelope (balloon) is the acres of material that inflates over the basket. The envelope has an opening allowing the air density inside to change.
The burner is what makes the balloon go up. Isn’t that what the helium is for? Hot Air Balloons have that name for a reason. Using propane burners (think science class bunsen burners on steroids) to heat the balloon’s air. Hot air rises and takes the basket along with it. There is no helium or hydrogen for those picturing the Hindenberg.
The steering wheel, just joking, there is no steering wheel. What? For the most part, a balloon is going in whatever direction the wind is blowing. At certain levels, there may be crosswinds the pilot can catch to steer the balloon’s direction slightly. But overall, it is a one-way ride. While the pilot knows the takeoff point, they only know the landing spot is somewhere in that direction. And that is part of the experience.
Despite what some Hollywood movies might have you believe, the basket does not carry bottles of chilled champagne. Not only is weight an issue, but you may also realize I did not list a lavatory as standard equipment. There is usually a celebratory beverage of some type after landing.
Would You Like to Glide?
On average, a balloon flight lasts between one and two hours.
Something else critical to a hot air balloon experience is wind. With no wind, you can go up and back down. Nice, but short, and the scenery doesn’t change.
You do not want winds higher than 12 (or 10 if you ask me) miles an hour. A breeze around 5 mph is just about perfect. Not too fast that you miss things. You have to look 360 degrees left and right as well as up and down. The distance you cover will depend on wind speed and time aloft. If a balloon leaves New York at…
Balloon flights take place at sunrise and again at sunset. Why? Usually, air temperature and wind conditions are more stable. At sunset, the surface wind maybe a little calmer than at sunrise.
Something else that may ground you is lightning. Of course, if a thunderstorm passes through, the rain, wind gusts, and lightning are all reasons for concern. Something I learned from Jules Verne in The Mysterious Island, balloons, and storms do not mix.
But on warm summer nights, lightning can be present. Why do I know so much about balloons and lightning? I have gone out hot air ballooning on four different occasions. And on each occasion, I have returned from the launching spot due to late afternoon storms just out of sight.
If you see me booking a flight, choose a different time.
The World’s a Nicer Place.
So we know how balloons work, and they are safe, and the people flying them know how to keep safe.
But where do we go in a hot air balloon?
Across large bodies of water is not a good idea, but lakes and rivers can be lovely.
Canyons can produce wicked updrafts that could bash you against a wall. Not good for a balloon, basket, or its contents.
Flying between mountains, (see canyons above).
But wide-open valleys near canyons or mountains can give you breathtaking views.
So where do they have hot air balloons?
In Europe, you can fly just about anywhere between Portugal and Peterhof Castle. The Baltic and Northern Europe have numerous places you should see from above.
Central Europe has balloon options from flat plains to sweeping valleys.
A visit to Turkey’s Cappadocia almost requires a hot air balloon trip.
Chase Your Dream Across the Sky.
Europe is not the only place you can float over the landscape. The continent of Africa has numerous opportunities.
In southern Africa, you have flights over the Cape Winelands and in Kenya over the plains.
In Asia, balloon trips are trendy over Cambodia’s Angkor Wat. In Thailand, Chiang Rai hosts an International Balloon Festival. Sunrise in Myanmar (formally Burma) is not complete without a balloon ascent.
If you go down under, look for the amazing flights in New Zealand and Australia.
We Could Float Among the Stars.
What if you do not want to leave the United States? Google “Hot air balloon rides _______” and fill in your state. You may surprise yourself at how close you are to taking flight.
Or maybe you want to watch them glide across the sky.
Did you know there are more than 30 hot air balloon festivals across the United States? From the Tetons to the mountains of Vermont, there are yearly festivals just waiting for you.
The Adirondack Balloon Festival has been going on since the 1970s. St Louis, Marysville, Ohio, Decatur, Alabama, Longview, Texas, Colorado Springs, and Driggs, Idaho are just some festival locations.
And for a week in October, the world’s largest Balloon Festival occurs at The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
Something else you can watch from the ground is what they call a “glow.”
They inflate the balloons starting at dusk. Vendors sell all kinds of food and drink and stuff to buy. When it is dark, the balloons, on tethers, launch. The brave can book a space on the balloons for the ascent.
Most festivals will feature a glow sometime during the event. A company by the name of Balloon Glow Tours arranges events in several cities from Miami to Chicago. Check their schedule to see if they are coming to a town near you.
Would You Like to Fly?
Is there a beautiful balloon flight in your future?
Everyone deserves the chance to fly.
If terra firma is more your speed, try to get to a festival or glow. Watch these graceful birdlike balloons float in the air.
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“If you could float over anywhere in the world in a balloon, where would it be?
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“See the World” Continued on Page T3. “Taste the World” Continued on T11.